This inventin relates to a device to be used to display advertisements of goods or services offered to a consumer. More particularly, the invention relates to a transparent card holder and stand which can be used to present advertising or informative messages on display counters or tables.
A variety of methods and devices have been utilized to inform consumers of product prices, characteristics, or special sales or features of merchandise in conjunction with the display of the goods. In instances where it is inappropriate to mark the good directly or when it is desirous to display supplemental announcements in conjunction with the goods, a particular method has been devised which utilizes a transparent cardholder that is self-supporting and generally placed in close proximity to the goods. A typical example of such a device is a clear plastic sheet into which a U-shaped fold has been formed in the center. In use, the inverted U-shaped fold opens downwardly with the flat ends of the sheet being adapted to lie on a surface to serve as support for the device. Cards are then placed into the fold from the side or bottom and are supported by the counter surface. Although the device has proven useful in many applications, there are inherent difficulties in its use.
Since these display devices are frequently moved, the card, which normally rests on the support surface, often falls from the display device when it is moved. Also because of the heat-forming method of creating the fold, the distance between the surfaces of the fold typically cannot be precisely controlled, often resulting in difficulty in placing and removing the cards from the device.
Also, in many instances, it is desirable to place additional information in the device without removing the original advertisement, for example, information concerning special sale prices. In the conventional prior art, the additional information, referred to as a "header card" would necessarily obscure the original advertisement. Further, since the fold-over device is normally constructed from a single piece of material, the stand or base portion is an integral part of the device and require a flat surface on which to rest. This construction both restricts the surface on which the card holder may be placed and necessitates the advertisement being displayed at the surface level.
For these and other reasons, there exists a need for a card display device that is easy to use, supports the advertisement without relying on the supporting surface, provides for easy placement and removal of the cards, accommodates additional information such as a header card without obscuring the original advertisement, and provides for interchangeable bases which permits use on a variety of surfaces.